How to be empathetic with depressed person-- school project

[chickenonaraft12]

Hey guys,

 

So I'm working on a group project (fun..) where we're given like 10 min max to present a short blurb about a mental disorder. I'm in the depression group, and I'm supposed to come up with something to help the class empathize with a person suffering from depression. Here's what I'm supposed to do: 

 

 

Devise and lead an activity or presentation that will provide an experience of what it might be like to be an individual diagnosed with this disorder. Your primary goal should be to provide your fellow classmates with a sense of empathy for individuals with this diagnosis. 

 

The entire presentation can only be 10 min max, so whatever I do I have to keep it pretty short. I would really love to show the "hyperbole and a half" comics on depression, but that's kind of awkward to read out loud to a class while on a powerpoint... and would take a lot of paper to print for each person to have their own copy. 

 

I also thought I could possibly find a youtube video to show the class... but I can't seem to find anything short enough. The only one I found was extremely...triggering... and I definitely don't want to show that one to the class.

 

I could also write a tiny bio of what it's like for ME to have depression (I wouldn't say I wrote it-- just quote it as something I found on the internet. I could tell my teacher where I "got" it from later since he knows about my depression already). Something that would be easy to read in like 3 minutes or less. I'm a pretty descriptive writer, so I think I could do it well. 

 

OR I could find someone else's bio or poetry or something and read that. I dunno.

 

What do you guys think would be a good idea? I want it to be interesting and something that can draw the class in to really try and be empathetic with people who have depression.

[MiaB]

It seems to me you're overthinking this.  In your position I would just speak from my own experience.

[melissaw72]

 

I could also write a tiny bio of what it's like for ME to have depression (I wouldn't say I wrote it-- just quote it as something I found on the internet. I could tell my teacher where I "got" it from later since he knows about my depression already). Something that would be easy to read in like 3 minutes or less. I'm a pretty descriptive writer, so I think I could do it well.

 

 

I would write a short bio of your experiences.

[Gearhead]

Speaking from experience is generally the most compelling. You just need to make sure that you're ready to out yourself.

[MiaB]

I think this is better placed in Intro to Being a Crazy Student, so I'm going to move it there.

[Wooster]

Chicken, have you seen this video? it's about 5 min.

 

 

[Gearhead]

But those dogs are so cute!

 

Woo, that video was beautiful. I'm going to send it to my mom.

 

No less a mind the Samuel Johnson coined the phrase "the black dog," but I think it was Churchill that made it really famous.

[Emettman]

Black dog: very, very good.
 
 
"Your primary goal should be to provide your fellow classmates with a sense of empathy for individuals with this diagnosis. "
 
That's tough. In ten minutes I'd be tempted to tackle the problem of empathy purely symptomatically,
and teach and illustrate a few ways people can avoid making those with depression feel worse.

"Oh,come on, just pull yourself together"
"You just need to come out and socialise more. Have fun!"
"Yes, I get off days, too.."
"You just need a positive attitude...

 

Not.

 

Chris

[Gearhead]

"Your primary goal should be to provide your fellow classmates with a sense of empathy for individuals with this diagnosis. "

 

That's tough. In ten minutes I'd be tempted to tackle the problem of empathy purely symptomatically,

and teach and illustrate a few ways people can avoid making those with depression feel worse.

"Oh,come on, just pull yourself together"

"You just need to come out and socialise more. Have fun!"

"Yes, I get off days, too.."

"You just need a positive attitude...

 

Not.

 

Chris

 

Since the black dog video is only about 5 minutes long, doing that also is a terrific idea.

[Wooster]

There's also the Hyperbole and a Half series Depression Part 2 that has a lot of how to NOT be helpful.

 

Also, I don't have the original source for this cartoon, but it's pretty good too:

http://cheezburger.com/7937393408

[confused]

These are all good suggestions. If you are comfortable talking from personal experience, it can be powerful.

[Equivilency]

That black dog video is great. I think he covered everything.

[beautifultragedy]

I just saw someone posted this - I don't know if you have finished your project already but this is pretty cool. http://www.upworthy.com/a-mother-doesnt-understand-why-her-daughters-depressed-her-daughter-clears-that-up-for-her?c=ufb1